Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection
by Sonfaro
Summary: A collection of short stories examining Tai, Matt, and Sora in various forms of love, rivalry, friendship, animosity, and hilarity.
1. Third Wheel

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

*******

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. there is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

*****  
**

One.) Third Wheel

---

He feels like the third wheel.

The odd man out as it were. It's why Tai Kamiya always hesitates when they ask him to attend some function with them. _Just them_. Group activities are fine, he can cope. He can blend into the background with Agumon and be happy. But when it's just the three of them, watching some movie that _she_ picked out and _he_ approved of, Tai can't help but feel a little distant. He doesn't blame them; not at all. He's actually quite happy for them, and when it's just Matt or Sora he has a marvellous time in teasing them. He just wishes that they didn't go through this ruse of trying to include him into their lives when it is clear that he was one man to many. Yet he never outright refuses them. Because he loves them both and wants them to be happy, regardless of how he feels.

---

She feels like the third wheel.

They're so close to one another it's ridiculous. It's hard enough for Sora Takenouchi to find time to spend with her boyfriend without having Tai run in and steal him away from her... Perhaps 'steal' is harsh, she thinks, as Matt has every right and capability to tell Tai _no_ when the unkempt boy wonder drags him off on some adventure or another. But he doesn't, because as much as Matt would deny it on his return to her, he cannot hide the joy sparkling in his beautiful blue eyes. The joy one feels when they have spent the evening eating hotdogs, pulling pranks, or simply being alive. She knows Tai can have that effect; she's felt it before - it was once a feeling exclusive to her. She doesn't mind their fun, boys will be boys. But still, she can't help but feel left out, lacking the intimacy from both boys she knows better than anyone. Yet she sucks it up, and keeps moving forward, perhaps two steps behind them, but on the same path none the less. She loves them both, and though it kills her inside, she wants them to be happy.

---

He feels like the third wheel.

Sure, he knows Tai's deepest, darkest secrets, and yes he's made out with Sora. But when the two are together, there is no reaching them, and Matt Ishida finds himself alone, racing his thumbs with clenched hands. Waiting for an argument, or interruption or for one of them to fall asleep. For as long as he's known them they've been inseparable, and even when he began seeing Sora as more than a friend, he found he had to ask Tai's permission; as if the boy were somehow responsible for Sora's happiness. The more Matt thinks about it, the more that seems to ring true. When they are together, Sora is nothing but smiles, and though Matt is not the jealous type, a part of him wishes that he could have the same impact on the love of his life that his partner in crime. And yet he waits with them, a smile briefly cracking his lips apart, because he knows he loves them both, and despite it all, he wants them to be happy.

---

They feel like the third wheel. One wheel too many on the bicycle of life. But to everyone outside of their relationship, they are simply a different vehicle. No bicycle, but a _tricycle_, a finely crafted vehicle of balance and safety. And though they may not have the speed or poise that others have, they are stable. They are happy. Because they are with the ones who _want_ them to be happy.

And no one can take that away from them.

---

_Fin._


	2. Their Summer War

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

*******

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. there is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

*****  
**

Two.) Their Summer War

---

Their Summer war began with 'The Battle of the Greenhouse'.

The invaders had gained access to the necessary weaponry required, and had prepared diligently the night before. With the heat of the Japanese summer baring down on them, and boredom settling in their minds, the only thing they knew to do to fix both problems was make a tactical and well placed aquatic powered assault on their mutual best friend. Of course, the blonde had been hesitant, seeing as this mutual best friend was also his personal girlfriend, but Tai had been emphatic on the assault, and upon recalling a prank she had pulled on him involving a 'Hello Kitty' backpack, Matt relented.

Around oh-twelve-hundred (which is what Tai had been insistent on calling noon) they struck, catching their auburn headed friend trimming the roses outside the greenhouse door. Quick on her feet as soon as she saw the ambush, Sora made a mad dash into the greenhouse before the many streams of water touched her person. Undaunted, the two invaders made their way after her, sure that they had her cornered.

They didn't know how Sora got a hold of the water hose. Matt's last recon of the area; procured when Sora made him a picnic in the greenhouse, had suggested that the only hose was on the outside of the greenhouse at the far rear. Thus, the invaders had no idea that her secret weapon existed. Until now.

As always, Tai was defiant to the last.

The stream of water caught the young man mid war cry just below the nose. Matt raised his super soaker in retaliation, but by then the hose was trained on him as well. The invaders, having been thwarted, made a hasty retreat from the greenhouse, their super soakers in tow. Sora dashed after them, retrieving a few pump-n-spray bottles of water and seeking revenge for the assault. The battle raged until well after three, when Ms. Takenouchi came home to a triad of water soaked teens lying in her garden in the middle of the summer, breathing heavily and laughing.

It took another two hours for the three of them to clean up the mess they made. By the time they had finished the day had cooled and their senses returned and far more normal plans were made for the three of them to go see a movie together. No words were spoken of the ambush and defense of the greenhouse. Their super soakers had been neatly placed in a box near the greenhouse door. As they left for "Ninja's of the Terra Dome VIII: The Quest for Peace", any animosity had been washed away by diplomacy. Their summer war was over.

For now…

---

_Fin._


	3. New Years

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

*******

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. there is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

*****  
**

Three.) New Years

---

It was Soras' idea. And how they hated it.

It was the New Year, and as such, a time for new beginnings. More importantly, it was a very special year for Tai, Sora, and Matt. After all, they share the same birth year, and together they had reached the ultimate pinnacle of Japanese youth. Coming of age day would be arriving shortly. They were twenty. They were legal.

They should have celebrated with beer.

At least that's what Tai had suggested while they watched the celebration in Tokyo from the comforts of Soras' apartment. Matt said something about too many carbs and watching his figure. Tai mocked him mercilessly. It was during another one of their usual arguments that Sora suggested it. On coming of age day, at six-forty five, they join the hundreds of newly twenty year old men and women for the traditional ice purification ritual.

Tai immediately said no. Matt was more interested in the other potential festivities (and really, an opportunity for his band to play again). But Sora was insistent, and she had a way of making them see her side of things. Namely through steaming up Matts' collar with her veiled advances, and threatening Tai with pictures that he would rather the public not see: involving him, his cat, one of Soras' old dolls she never played with, and a dress that is never to be mentioned again.

And so, on the second Monday of the new year, the three of them took a train to the streets of Tokyo to join in the ceremony of the traditional ice bath. The truth of the matter is, Sora wanted to do this for the memories. Beneath her rebellious spirit and tomboy attitude lay the heart of a traditional Japanese woman, who wanted desperately to uphold the honor and traditions of her people. It worried her that two of the most important men in her life - for she could no longer call them boys, were so hesitant to follow along with the same fervor she knew their parents had gained on this day.

By the end of it all, they'd all gained _something_.

Tai found the experience to be an adventure. Not his favorite adventure, mind you: those usually involved he and Agumon blowing something up. But the chance to brave the elements and come through a changed man suddenly appealed to him, and he came out of the event with his trademark smile. Matt found himself fresh and eager for a new start after coming up from the water. The chants sung at these events had a meditative quality for him, and gave him a sharper outlook on the year to come. Already his mind was formulating around lyrics and tunes based on the themes of birth, rejuvenation, and freezing cold temperatures.

And Sora? By the end of it all, Sora was cold, annoyed, and cranky, and refused to say anything to either of them the entire train ride home. Her white kimono had been entirely too thin, the water had been entirely to cold, and the two she'd drug out by the ear were suddenly grinning and celebrating as if they were changed men. No doubt she was thankful to have come of age, and it was a nice ceremony and all… But the second her bare leg was surrounded by water that, honestly, a polar bear wouldn't swim in, she instantly wanted to find the genius priest who'd come up with this idea for purification and punch him in the teeth. As soon as she got home she took a nice, long, hot bath and swore never to do something like that again.

Matt had tried to soothe her, but Tai never let her forget it. After all, it had been Soras' idea.

And how she hated it.

---

_Fin._


	4. Constant

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

*******

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. there is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

*****  
**

Four.) Constant

---

Some things in life are constant.

Tai and Matt are constantly fighting. Mostly it's good-natured teasing. Sometimes it's a heated argument. On occasion things have gotten literal, and they each have sported a black eye from the other more than once. Sora's had to break up many an argument over an assortment of topics. She's hated doing it every time, but she understands why. Tai will never let Matt think he's better than anyone else, and Matt refuses to let Tai get in over his head. In that way, they keep each other balanced, grounded. Alive. It's just who they are. It's how they show affection.

Sora and Tai are constantly smiling. Together mostly, in a way that would make anyone else jealous. People constantly confuse them for a couple, so familiar with one another and so happy together as they race here and there, hand-in-hand. On more than one occasion someone has run to tell Matt of his girlfriends infidelity, only for the tattler to learn from the blond guitarist that it's just Tai and Sora, off on another crazy adventure with their partners, a soccer ball, and smiles. Their happiness can't really be explained beyond a deep bond and relief to still be alive. There is just something about them that leads them to smile – long and happy, at one another. It's how they show affection.

Matt and Sora are constantly in love. In-and out of it. Fighting about it. Smiling about it. Even when they weren't dating the two of them would have long conversations about the nature of soul mates. It used to weird out Tai at first. As he got older, it worried him. One Christmas he almost cried about it. Now he understands. Their love is the quiet kind: not romantic in the traditional sense, but sweet nonetheless. He can't compete with that. No one can. It's how they show affection.

Some things in life are constant. Like the three of them. They are constantly on the minds of one another, constantly in their hearts. Their feelings differ from person to person, but they are constant, never ending and full of love.

It's how they show affection.

---

_Fin._


	5. Neapolitan

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

*******

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. there is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

*****  
**

Five.) Neapolitan

---

It's the last day of summer, and Tai, Matt and Sora want ice cream. They usually do around this time. Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond their control (Sora buying a new kimono to replace her last one, Matt having to pay the pub manager for space for the bands last gig, and Tai buying the new Play Console III) they only have money for one bowl: one measly bowl that the three of them will have to share in their own little corner of the ice cream shop. But they can't decide on flavors.

Tai wants vanilla. He usually does. It surprises most people when they find out; most assume the boy enjoys rocky road or some other ungodly sweet. But its vanilla Tai holds dear, having fond memories of the sweet white confection dripping down his mouth during fits of giggles and experiments with sprinkles and a girls red hair. He got in trouble then, but it was worth it, and the smile he gave the red head that day still tickles him.

Matt wants chocolate. He usually does. He doesn't really know why, he doesn't eat sweets often. But the taste of the chocolate brightens his day, and he smiles just thinking about it. Something about chocolate ice cream brings him back to happier times, when his family lived under the same roof and he didn't have the responsibilities he has now. There are fond memories of food fights being started because a certain brunette borrowed his ice cream to begin the bombardment on a mutual enemy. He tries to have a little taste of the dairy confection before ever show, just to keep the juices flowing.

Sora wants strawberry. She usually does. It's her favorite fruit, and the only thing she's ever stolen from her mother's flower shop. Something about the tangy taste of fruit mixed with sugary milk calms her spirits. Strawberry is the first cone a boy bought for her on their date-that-wasn't-a-date, an event she still counts as their anniversary, though the blonde contends that nothing official was made until the day after; a certain Christmas concert that changed the world.

They _want_ ice cream. They usually do around this time. But try as they might, the three can't decide on a _single_ flavor. Whether they know it or not, each flavor is unique to them, and one person trying the others, even if they wanted to, wouldn't be fair to the third.

So they pick Neapolitan: the perfect blend of their favorites. And suddenly all is right with the world.

---

_Fin._

_--_

_**Ice Cream Personality**_

_Vanilla: You are colorful, impulsive, a risk taker who sets high goals and has high expectations of yourself. You also enjoy close family relationships._

_Chocolate: You are lively, creative, dramatic, charming, enthusiastic, and the life of the party. Chocolate fans enjoy being at the center of attention and can become bored with the usual routine._

_Strawberry: You are shy, yet emotionally robust, skeptical, detail-oriented, opinionated introverted, and self-critical._


	6. Stood Up

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Six.) Stood Up

She isn't sure which one she wants to kill more.

She waits, impatiently at the local sushi restaurant – a luxury eatery she really can't afford. She's wearing the dress she hates; the one with the slit that goes too far up her thigh and shows off more leg than necessary… Coincidentally the one he likes best. Her ginger-brown hair has been stylized perfectly; a feat that took Mimi and her mother nearly an hour to complete. Rose lipstick adorns her mouth (another Mimi choice) giving it a light pink shine that matches the blush applied to her cheeks. Never before in history has Sora Takenouchi looked more… feminine.

Or quite so pissed.

She sits alone at the table, arms crossed, fuming. It appears that she has been stood up. Even the cook knows her beau is late. She adjusts her dress again in a vain attempt to cover herself, while shooting daggers at the waiter who keeps undressing her with his eyes. The thing that angers her the most isn't that he isn't here. Oh no.

It's that he called to tell her he'd be late.

She appreciated Matt's honesty. She appreciated a lot about Yamato Ishida in fact. But that didn't take away the heat that flushed through her veins as she sat alone nibbling cold appetizers and wondering what her boyfriend would look like with a black eye. She hadn't been stood up, though she thinks that would be easier to deal with. She knows exactly where he is. What he's doing…

Who he's doing it with.

He had called her ahead of time on her D-Tector to let her know that a Poromon village had come under Vilemon fire earlier and he and Tai made a beeline to the nearest computer for the rescue, that clean-up was taking a little longer than originally planned, and that he'd be a little late for dinner. Tai had then apparently snatched his D-Tector from him and sent several poorly written jokes in bad taste at her expense, followed by several emoticons and a heart. She'd shaken her head and closed her D-Tector at that point. She could imagine her boyfriends blush and frantic attempts to retake his device, just as she could imagine Tai's handsome face beaming with his cocky smile while they chased each other across the sands of Server. Taichi Kamiya, her best friend. The image of Tai with a fat lip brought a smile to her face.

What bothers her isn't that she is entirely too made up for this occasion. Wearing the slutty dress isn't the end of the world. She doesn't even mind that her boyfriend would be late for their fourth anniversary as an couple. The thing that bothers her was that the love of her life was off with her best friend on some adventure… and nobody bothered to invite her along.

So she fumes in her chair, even though Matt sends her text message updates on their success and promises to be there within the next five minutes. She glares, even when the hostess screams as her computer flashes white; pulsing as a grown boys falls out from the digital plane and comes crashing to the floor in the real one. And she glares when he approaches her, smelling of sulfur and sand and Taichi Kamiya. The smell of an adventure.

She isn't sure which one she wants to kill more. But they are both certainly gonna pay dearly.

_Fin._


	7. His Next ExGirlfriend

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Seven.) His Next Ex-Girlfriend

Matt wanted things to go well. After all, this is the first time Tai has brought his next ex-girlfriend to dinner with them.

In his head, that's what Matt calls the cute, but utterly obnoxious brunette that Tai has led by hand to their table. It's the first time Tai has accepted Sora's standing offer of a double date: not because he didn't want to or because he secretly hated the idea, but because this was the first girl Tai's been with that lasted long enough to make it to the reservation. For the life of him Matt can't remember her name, not that it matters. The signs are everywhere that she won't be with them too much longer.

Matt sits as if his cushion were made of pins, dancing back and forth across his hips and waiting for the night to be over. To his right, his girlfriend of several months is stabbing the peas on her plate with her fork as if the little things were murdering child snatchers while glaring so hard into the girls forehead Matt is surprised the poor things skull hasn't exploded through sheer will. As with all Tai's recent love interests, Sora has taken on the personae of a crouching panther whose turf has been invaded by dogs in heat. She hasn't liked any of them really, and Matt is sure that the only reason she invites them on these double dates that never work is so that she can be close enough to throw a knife into their throats if given the chance. She's assured Matt that this anger isn't jealousy, that those girls she borderline stalked are just not right for Tai, and that she's just being the protective mother hen she's always been. In no way does he believe her.

In front of Sora sits Tai; who has already finished his steak and fries and now waits impatiently for the check himself. Upon entering the steak-house, Tai's demeanor could best be described as slightly interested; not quite with his newfound love one-hundred percent, but there wasat least the attempt at affection shown from the Digidestined of Courage. As the night wore on however, the appearance drifted away, along with Tai's attention span. Until all that was left was an empty husk of a man who whose apettite was the only thing interested in this fiasco. And now that his steak and fries have disappeared into his cast iron stomach, there is nothing that could keep Tai even remotely interested in what was going on around him. His elbows are on the table, as always, while he looks out the window, oblivious to his date.

Not that she minds; for the girl… Mira… Mina... whatever, continues to talk about the issues in her everyday life. Like how to use of conditioner to cure headaches and what Yoon-Son Ha did on her favorite variety show yesterday and how Kurohege is adorable and other topics Matt could care less about. He doesn't understand how Tai hooked up with her in the first place. This girl is, literally, what he believes a mini-skirt would be like if it gained sentience. She's all air, no substance. A walking speaker box. She's Mimi if Mimi lacked a soul. The girl just isn't Tai's type. She isn't all that athletic. She can't really hold a tune. She doesn't really have an opinion on Digimon one way or the other.

Her name isn't Sora.

He wants so badly to say something. To all of them. He wants to tell Tai that he's a horrible boyfriend who needs to move on from the relationship that never was and find a girl who can at least hold his frazzled attention. He wants to tell his girlfriend to stop glaring at Tai's current interest, admit that maybe she is a little jealous, and try to be happy that her bestfriend and former attraction was attempting to move on with his life. And he wants to tell Mika… Mijah… whoever this chick is, to shut up.

But he can't, because if he calls out Tai it would only serve to tick his jogress partner off, perhaps leading to a fight and eventually, a ruined dinner. And he can't call out Sora because it _will_ lead to a fight, resulting in a black eye and sore groin area, and a ruined dinner. And he can't call out Milanthos…. Melantos? Because he doesn't really know her, and he's just can't be as cruel with her as he could Tai and Sora. That would ruin dinner. And seeing as Matt paid nearly 5000 yen for this crummy double date that his girlfriend dragged him to, he was **_not_** ruining dinner.

So they all sit there: Tai looking bored, Sora looking furious, and Matt trying desperately not to look uncomfortable, while Tai's next ex-girfriend prats on and on. In the beginning, Matt wanted things to go well.

Now he just wants to go.

_Fin._


	8. The Last Dance

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Eight.) The Last Dance

It will be their last dance.

Tai is sure of this; just as sure as the new UN rulings on Digiworld settlements will be largely ignored and just as sure as he and Agumon will have to be called into action again to keep the peace between man and digimon. He knows this, and accepts it. He is fine. Sora Takenouchi wasn't the first girl he'd ever danced with. She certainly wouldn't be the last.

Though she'd ever be his favorite.

He figures he likes dancing with Sora for two distinct reasons. Firstly, she's as horrible a dancer as he is. Both have done little else but twirl and rock awkwardly to the music while giggling like school children. Second, and most importantly: because she _is _Sora.

This is only one of many things the two liked to do together, and the realization had sadly come to late in their lives for them to really enjoy the simple concept of movement to rhythm. For that, Tai sheds a metaphorical tear (he doesn't shed too many real tears…they'd make him look like a sissy – he really was just a twelve year old boy at heart). It's a tear for unfinished memories, unwritten dreams, visions that never came to past.

If he could turn back the hands of time, he thinks, things would be different. There'd be no need for UN delegations on the Digiworld. There'd be no need to fight anymore. There'd be no need for this last dance – for he would have danced with her all his life if he could. Forever… If he could

But he couldn't turn back the hands of time (and the last being who could was a rampaging lunatic WarGreymon had deleted in a totally awesome fight – you should have been there). So, this is their last dance. It has to be.

One hand rests awkwardly on her hip. The other holds tight to hers, fingers laced together one after the other. He spreads his legs to the outside with every step – an unspoken compromise after she'd managed to pierce his loafers with the tip of her heel. Her body wraps close to his, like a glove. Her amber brown eyes twinkle in delight as he continues to step on beat. He smiles back, a loopy lopsided grin that's defined him for the past decade. She hums along to the strings, he mumbles out the drum beat… They dance like they were meant to dance: clumsily. It's wonderful. It's beautiful. He never wants this to end.

But it must. Far too soon it must.

_He_appears in white between them, his pale face pink with slight joy and slight intoxication, a grin just as wide and pure as theirs. He asks to cut in. Sora looks to Tai, and he wonders if she can see right through him. How much it hurts to end the dance. How happy he is to have danced at all. He smiles, and lets the groom have his bride. His dance is over. Now and forever. It's Matt's dance now.

Tai makes his way to the wall and watches them, taking great humor in knowing that Matt can't dance either. Even so, the differences in the moves are striking. She leans into her partner in a way she couldn't lean into Tai. He holds her in a way Tai could never manage. Sora's laughter isn't the giggles of a friend. They are the coos of an enchanted lover.

If Tai could turn back the hands of time…

But he can't, so he resigns himself to smile, because she's smiling. And Matt's smiling. And aside from the brief but funny-in-hindsight moment where Biyomon lit the decorations aflame, the rest of the congregation has been all smiles too. Sora Takenouchi is now Sora Ishida, the wife of Matt Ishida. Tai has danced his last dance with her.

He grabs a drink and makes a beeline for the cute bridesmaid from Sora's old tennis team, that lopsided grin again plastered to his face. A part of Tai will always love her. But just because he's not dancing with Sora, doesn't mean he can't dance at all.

_-fin-_


	9. Lucky

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Nine.) Lucky

Before she falls asleep, Sora realizes how lucky she is.

The television drones out the sounds of the movie they'd rented. Sora doesn't have the heart to take it out. It hadn't been worth the money they'd paid, but the low sounds provided a kinetic lullaby for the three on this large couch in Matt's apartment. Sora sits center, between the two boys she's practically known her whole life, fighting sleep for just a moment longer to take the two in.

Tai's mouth is wide open, head tilted and leaning on the edge of the couch. He's propped his feet on the coffee table, even though Matt specifically asked him three times not to. Sora doesn't have the heart to move them. One arm dangles uselessly over the side, while the other found itself draped behind her shoulders while Matt wasn't looking hours ago. She didn't have the heart to say anything about it either. Deep gusts of wind surge into the boys sleeping lungs: but though his mouth stands agape, no sound escapes. This has always fascinated Sora, and she's never been able to figure out how he does it.

Matt on the other hand, snores. He would deny it at every turn, but Sora had been with him long enough to know. His head lies heavily in her lap, golden strands spread across her thighs. She doesn't have the heart to wake and move him; the weight isn't painful. She takes her fingers and laces them through his blonde hair, savoring the softness. He's left his legs dangling over the side of the couch, and his arms are crossed upon his chest. She doesn't have the heart to silence him either. The low rumble from his nose is consistent, and by now Sora has found the sound soothing in a strange way. He snores like a rock-star, on rhythm and in tune with his life's' own strange beat.

Sora yawns a little. She needs her rest too.

She leaves her fingers in Matt's hair, while letting her head rest against Tai's warm shoulder. She sleeps with a smile on her face, something she's been doing quite a lot lately. In the morning, her boys will likely go their separate ways. For now however, they are together. They are incredibly lucky. She has heart enough for both of them.

_-fin-_


	10. A Million Little Reasons

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Ten.) A Million Little Reasons

There are a million little reasons why this shouldn't work.

That's what Matt tells them. Sora reassures him that everything will work out fine and no one will get hurt. Tai just ignores him.

The brunette already set up the shopping cart down their makeshift runway: a concrete ditch on the edge of town. Agumon is seated – only slightly uncomfortable – in the baby carriage, while Biyomon is perched at the carts edge. In the buggy itself is a small pillow and space enough for one teen, who will likely die… or at the very least suffer severe injuries, Matt contends.

Sora tells Matt that he worries to much, and that he should have a little faith in them. Tai just ignores him.

Standing a few meters away is Gabumon, who holds the timer in one paw and a checkered flag they'd found in a novelty store in the other. Like Matt, he is apprehensive. Unlike Matt, he's just as stoked the majority. He doesn't have to ride in the shopping cart from hell. He has nothing to lose.

Matt however is concerned for his girlfriends safety. And if something were to happen to Tai… he pushes such thoughts and feelings away and demands that the two of them stop before someone is seriously hurt. Sora tells him not to worry. Tai just ignores him.

Defeated, Matt sulks as Tai puts on the finishing touches to the vehicle. The Digidestined of Courage stands proudly before the device, before flashing a thumbs up to the Digimon in the cart. Turning to Sora and Matt, Tai beams maliciously.

"Who want's to go first?"

Matt isn't sure how he ends up in the cart after that. It must be a combination of Tai's pure ambition and Sora's pretty eyes. That usually gets him to follow after them blindly on some ill advised adventure or other. His legs are clutched tightly to his chest, and he keeps having to push Agumon's tail away from his face. If he lives through this, he's pretty sure he's going to fuss out the partners in crime. Speaking of which, the two are standing a respectable distance away. To far away. As if they know that this will end badly. Matt sinks deeper into the cart and thinks long and hard about his choice of friends.

Sora is giggling and holding onto Tai's arm – a flash of jealousy flares up within Matt that he quickly suppresses.

Tai raises an arm, grinning from ear to ear. When it falls, Agumon lets loose.

**_Pepper Breath!_**

From within his digital stomach, Agumon belches his best fireball, and the cart rockets forward from the momentum. It goes hurtling down the runway at speeds no grocery cart was meant to achieve, rumbling over rocks and debries at an alarming rate . Matt feels the g-forces ripping away at his skin, and he holds on for dear life. Behind him, he can make out the faint sound of cheers from Tai and Sora. He can't understand them. He's screaming to loudly.

Before he has time to vomit up his supper, Biyomon unfurls her wings, flapping as hard as she can against the current of wind the cart has created. The cart begins to slow, coming to a halt just in front of the dog-lizard with the clock in his paw. Gabumon pronounces the time, "Ten-point-three seconds!" Sora cheers, Tai beams, Matt collects himself. He stumbles from the cart; shaken, but very much alive. Tai slaps a hand on Matt's back in celebration. Sora asks him how it felt. Matt responds with only one word.

"Again!"

There are a million reasons why this shouldn't work. Matt's stopped counting them.

_-fin-_


	11. Simply Blue

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Eleven.) Simply Blue

Sora's been seeing blue.

A lot lately. She can't point a finger to the exact moment it happened but it's happened nonetheless. She stands by Matt and the others in a blue tinted computer lab, watching with a frown and welling tears while she tries to piece together where this obsession with such a moody and depressing color comes from.

Blue is _his _favorite color. It goes along with being a boy she figures. That and the open sky. It's such an antithetical idea - boisterous, hot-blooded youth sees the soothing, calming, depressing image of the darker shade as a symbol for his life. And yet there he goes, wearing his favorite blue tee and grinning from ear to ear. She isn't sure when she learned it was Tai's color: likely he'd told her when they were four or five and just kids in a sandbox. But she remembered regardless. His favorite jacket is blue. So is his favorite shirt. If she remembers correctly Kari told her he used to paint her dolls a distinct shade of blue whenever he got hold of permanent markers. Blue _is _Tai Kamiya. Tai Kamiya, is simply blue.

Blue is the color of _his _eyes. A kind of steel blue that mesmerizes her even to this day. She isn't sure if Matt knows just how much power he holds over her behind those shades of blue; but it's considerable, and it drives her mad. Before they were _really _dating, back when it was just a lunch date or a conversation between friends, Sora would find herself losing grip on the discussion and being mesmerized by those blue eyes he inherited from European ancestry. Worse, Matt would notice. And that would cause no end of awkward nervousness between them. But how could Sora ever stop herself? Even now as his eyes gaze forward - a mask for an inner self Matt doesn't reveal often - Sora finds herself fighting not to face those simply blue eyes and the emotions they conceal.

Mostly though, Sora's been feeling blue. Blue because Tai is taking his favorite blue coat and his favorite blue shirt and all his belongings (blue or otherwise) and leaving the real world for good – rooming with Agumon in the deserts of Server in an effort to provide a link between the worlds. Blue because Matt's steel blue eyes refuse to shed crystal clear tears for his friend – though he has told her time and again that he wishes Tai wouldn't leave. But he holds up this front, reminding himself over and over again that he can visit Tai whenever he wants. Pretending that the separation that is about to occur is no major feat. Ignoring the truth that hurts Sora just as much.

Tai isn't a part of their world anymore. Nothing will ever change that now.

So Sora sees blue, shades of it everywhere dancing on her heart and soul. And though the boy whose arm sits on her shoulder has refused even to wave a goodbye at their departing companion, Sora sheds enough tears for both of them. Even as Tai Kamiya – liason to the Digital World – disappears into the blue screen beyond.

Sora see's blue - simply blue. And she hates the sight of it.

_-fin-_

_(**AN**: Not so good I think. I'm a bit rusty, it's been a while. Do forgive.)_


	12. Waiting on That Train Called Life

____

____

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Twelve.) Waiting on That Train Called Life...

"So you have all you need?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Shirts, pants, socks, shoes."

"Uh-huh…"

"Underwear?"

"Uh-huh…"

"_Clean _underwear?"

"…"

"Tai?"

"Uh-huh…"

Sora Takenouchi sighs beside me, fiddling with her purse and glaring at the side of my head. I can't see her doing any of this – I have my eyes closed. But I know Sora well enough. "Honestly Tai," She nags at me. "It's like I'm your mother. We're eighteen now, I shouldn't be taking care of you like this. Hey… Are you listening?"

"Uh-huh."

She shoves my shoulder and I grin to let her know I'm teasing. She wants to say more, but suddenly we hear the oncoming roar of metal scrapping metal, and we know my ride is soon to arrive. "Here's your train," Sora glumly states. "I guess this is it."

"Uh-huh."

She helps me grab my bags and we stand waiting for my ride to Tokyo U and my first semester away from Odaiba. It'll be the first time in eleven years Sora and I haven't had a class together. We're taking it as well as expected. Annoyance, laziness, and lots of teasing to cover up the empty feeling.

"Matt said he wants you to call him as soon as you get there, or else he's gonna go crazy," she tells me as she struggles to keep her hair in place as the wind sails through it. "And don't forget to buy new pillowcases. We threw your old ones out, remember? You'd had them since you were twelve."

"Uh-huh…" The train is almost to us when I realize something important. I set the bags in my hand down and turn to her. "Hey, Sora?"

"Hmm?"

"I… eh… forgot something."

She makes a face of bewilderment. "Wah? Urgh… Honestly Tai, you're going to college, you're supposed to be a big boy now. What exactly did you forget-"

Before she knows it, I wrap the girl in my arms and give her the warmest hug I can give without overstepping the platonic boundaries we both have agreed upon. She stops talking then, a hitch in her throat taking the sound away.

"Oh…"

And then I feel her arms wrap around me and she hugs me back. And I feel her smile into my shoulder. Best ten seconds of my life.

"Ah… that's better." I let go and give her my rarest grin. "Whelp. I'm off!"

She's blushing. Which makes me happy. "Stupid Tai."

I grin and pat her head tenderly. "Aw Sora, I love you too!"

She shoves my shoulder and we laugh. The train finally comes to a stop, and the conductor steps out to greet me. I grab my bags and trundle merrily towards the door, leaving the lovely Sora Takenouchi with hands clasped staring after me. "I'll call you in a few hours," she finally tells me.

"I'll be on the line with your boyfriend," I yell back.

"That's fine." She smiles

"You may have to wait all night. You know how we are."

Her blush spreads. "I can wait."

I blink, and I'm vaguely aware I'm blushing too. But the conductor ushers me onboard before I can say more. I find my way to an empty seat with enough space for my things and look out the window. Sora is still there. Smiling sadly it seems, for her fingers are already lacing the bottom of her eyes to wipe away tears. I remember all the things we've gone through together. The worlds we'd seen. All the things we've shared. All the promises we've kept. And I'm left happy.

No matter who we're with. No matter how far away I go. No matter how long Sora and Matt see each other. We'll be together. We've promised. So as sad as she is right now, Sora knows its okay. I'm not going to abandon her. She can wait forever.

And so can I...

-fin-


	13. The Only Thing She Wanted

**Shots In The Dark: The Taiorato Collection  
**

_**By: Sonfaro**_

_Disclaimer: Two things. One.)Sonfaro has not now, nor ever has owned anything involving or relating to Digimon. He just has a lot of fun writing about them. Do not sue._

_Two.) Unlike oneshot, which has a set ending, I'll just post little stories in here that I write about anything dealing with these three characters that has no place in any other story. There is no time table for these, only when inspiration moves me. The next installment may be days, weeks, months, minutes later. Sonfaro hopes you enjoy them when they finally arrive. __Thanks. - Sonfaro  
_

Thirteen.) The Only Thing She Wanted...

There was only one thing his fiancée wanted for her birthday this year.

Matt sighed as he looked over the amount of gifts left to her from their various friends and family members. Sora Takenouchi (soon to be Ishida) was fairly popular around their social circles, having been surrogate mother for many of their friends when the chips were down. And so as she reached the big three-oh, everyone wanted to share their appreciation for her. And indeed, she appreciated every one of them in attendance.

But she hadn't looked at any of it. Not really. She'd opened the boxes sure, and she'd held the various items and gifts in her hands while smiling at her friends. But Matt could see that his future wife had been distracted during her birthday hoopla. In fact, she hadn't even noticed that he hadn't given her his gift yet. Deep down, Matt knew the reason why.

She thought _he_ couldn't make it.

It wasn't something Matt enjoyed, but that was the fact. And it made most of the evening uncomfortable. Still, he hadn't given her his gift yet, and it needed giving. So Matt sucked it up and approached her, sitting on the couch in their shared apartment, a glass of red wine resting limply in her hands as she watched some television program with mild disdain. He sighed, resting an arm against the frame behind her. "You gonna sulk all night?"

"Am I sulking?" She spoke darkly.

"A little." He nodded and sat next to her, taking the half finished glass from her hands and placing it on the counter in front of them.

She groaned, bringing a slender hand to her forehead. "I don't mean to."

"You know it's nobody's fault, right?"

She glared at him, cursing his ability to understand her so well. "My brain does," she admitted.

"He'd be here if he could." He sighed.

"Mm…" Is all she said.

He draped an arm across her shoulders, and she tilted her head naturally into the crook of his neck. They sat there a few moments longer, quietly trying to enjoy themselves, though her mood and his concern were making that difficult. Matt knew what she was really thinking. And why she was thinking it. And it made him a little jealous. But it made him even more concerned – for her happiness was the most important thing in the world.

So after a moment more of their cuddle, he squeezed her arm and rose, careful again not to knock the table and spill the wine on their new carpet. "Hey, you've got one more present."

She frowned, curious. "Nn… what is it?"

"C'mon."

With that he caught her by the hand and, after a moment's hesitation, led her from the couch to their computer room down the hall. He opened the door and was greeted by a blue light, meaning their desktop was still on from only a few minutes earlier. She frowned behind him, noting that both the glow and the sounds were rather peculiar to her.

"Matt?"

He ignored her, instead leading her to the computer chair and setting her down with his hands on each shoulder. He looked at the screen and smiled. "Hoi, you still there?"

_"You kept me waiting jerk-face."_

There was a lop-sided grin seen. Sora lost her breath.

Matt continued, well aware that his lover had gone into a state of shock below him. "Sorry, the party part lasted longer than we thought and –"

"…Tai."

Her voice was soft and excited, and filled with coming tears. The face on the other end could only blink, then smile.

"Hi." He said.

"H-hey..." she smiled through her tears.

"Nn… Happy Birthday."

Matt smiled. It had been years since Tai's departure into the Digital world and months since she had seen him. He was a busy man these days, mediating between human and digimon quarrels, spearheading peacekeeping forces, and generally being the only human being in the worlds trying to make a real bridge between them. These duties had kept him longer and longer away from most of the people he grew up with, as more and more authority was granted to him. Yet through all that, he'd never missed his best-friends birthday.

Until this year. A particularly tense issue between the armies of two rival generals – Blastmon and Tactimon if Matt remembered – threatened a human village not far away. The timing could not have been more unfortunate for them. While Tai was sure he could talk both out of doing anything rash, there would be no way he could justify actually leaving the area where the talks were being held for the sake of one up and coming human fashion designer in Tokyo. He was sure if he tried it, Blastmon would do something reckless and everything would fall apart.

So Matt decided, with a little help from Tai, that his present to Sora would be a chance to see her best friend. Even though they were currently separated by a line between two realities. Even though the bill for world-to-world communication would be harsh (and that was with Tai helping pay for it). Even though it meant admitting that the love of his life couldn't live without this man with uncombed hair and a cocky grin. Tai made Sora happy, and her happiness was the most important thing in the world.

She turned to him, unsure if this was real or not but daring to believe. "Matt?"

"Talk for as long as you want," he told her. "We split the bill."

_"You're totally paying for most of it though,"_ Tai Kamiya smirked from his corner of the Digital world.

"B-be nice Tai," Sora said, the tears dying down and a smile overtaking them. "He spent all his wedding money on a fancy designer tux I told him not to buy. He's got none left"

_"That makes sense,"_ Tai said as Matt made a face at his grinning fiancé. _"Matt always took shopping way too seriously. Does he still have the girly fanny-pack?"_

"He does!" She squealed in delight, and Matt could feel a bead of sweat building beneath his hair.

_"Man Matt, you're such a girl," _Tai joked from the other end._ "It's a good thing you're gonna wear the pants in this family Sora."_

They all laughed, and Matt realized it was the first time in a while that Sora's laughter had been genuine. A part of him was saddened by this, but only a small part. The rest was so happy to hear the waves of joy rolling form Sora's voice it didn't matter who caused it.

"I think I'll leave you two alone now," he turned to the door with a smile.

She caught his arm before he'd slipped out of the room, and he felt the ring on her finger press into his skin. He looked up just in time for the woman to bring her lips to his. She smiled when she'd finished, a blush resting on her future-husbands cheeks. "Best. Birthday present. Ever." She told him quietly.

"Hm… Just remember that when mine rolls around." He joked. And when she smiled for him, everything in the universe suddenly made sense.

_"Sooora!"_ His best friends childish moan reverberated through their speakers. _"I'm not making this call for my health you know."_

"Alright, alright. So impatient," Sora smiled with mock annoyance and plopped in the computer chair like a schoolgirl. They both leapt into a string of dialogue about things Matt had little interest in but had clearly been on both of their minds since the last time they'd seen one another – launching into arguments about sports and comic books, and all the things they'd done as kids that she hadn't talked about in forever. And though Matt was closing the door and leaving his future wife under the watch of the man who'd first held her heart, Matt found that he was okay with that.

There was only one thing his fiancée wanted for her birthday. And that was a few hours with Taichi 'Tai' Kamiya. Matt had delivered him to her. So when she slinked back into their room at two in the morning after hours of conversation, and asked him to hold her in his arms, and when she fell asleep on his chest, a smile still on her face, Matt knew he'd picked the right gift.

She was happy. And because she was happy, so was he.

-fin-

**A/N: **Not sure where this came from. Hope it makes sense though.


End file.
